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With the rising price of tuition, fees, and room and board at four-year public colleges and private nonprofit institutions, more students in all income brackets have been taking out loans.

If you’re wondering where to get a student loan for college, you have two options. The first is getting a federal student loan through the government. Federal student loans account for more than 93% of all student loan debt. The second option is a private student loan, which is given by a bank, credit union, or online lender. Private student loans are not based on need, but rather your college’s cost of attendance, your credit profile, and your income (or your cosigner’s income).

Prioritizing a Plan

When creating a plan to fund college education, it can make good sense to first explore any avenues for free money in the form of grants and scholarships.

By taking a look at the remaining balance after any free money has been found, exploring federal loans can be a smart next step. They come with income-based repayment options and the ability to request loan forgiveness under some circumstances. There are also work-study programs that can help students earn money while attending college.

If all needs are not covered, then there are private student loans to consider, along with Direct PLUS Loans that parents can apply for to get funds for their children.

After that, some people may seek out personal loans to cover living expenses while in school and/or emergency loans from the college.

Here are more specifics about these options.

Where to Get a Federal Student Loan

When the funding for college comes from the federal government, then—as the name indicates—that’s considered a federal student loan. To obtain any kind of federal student loan, a student must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly called the FAFSA®. Here are tips on how to fill out the FAFSA®.

After filling out this form, a student will have insights into what federal funding is available for them, along with work-study options. More specifically, each school that a student applies to can send a financial aid offer letter, which includes information about how to apply for student loans that they qualify for.

Two broad types of federal loans are:

•   Direct subsidized loans: These are for undergraduates with financial need.

•   Direct unsubsidized loans: These are available for undergraduate students, as well as graduate and professional ones, that do not demonstrate financial need.

A key difference between the two types involves the interest on the loan. With a subsidized loan, the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest when a qualifying student is attending school at least half time, as well as during a six-month grace period when the student graduates, withdraws, or reduces to less than part-time. This can also apply if the loan goes into deferment, meaning when loan payments are postponed. With an unsubsidized loan, the student is responsible for paying the interest.

Where to Get a Private Student Loan

A variety of financial institutions offer private student loans and have their own criteria for qualification. Some allow students to apply online and can give quick responses, while others go a more traditional route with in-person applications.

Private lenders will typically review a student’s income, plus that of any cosigner, along with credit histories and more to make lending decisions. A lender might grant a private student loan to someone whose credit isn’t stellar, but charge a higher interest rate.

When applying for a private student loan, it’s important to understand the loan terms before signing the note. This includes the interest rate and whether the rate is fixed (staying the same over the life of the loan, with the principal and interest payments also staying the same) or variable. If a loan is variable, how much can the rate change? How often? What is the term of the loan?

Recommended: Fixed vs. Variable Rate Loans

Benefits of private student loans can include the following:

•   They can bridge the gap between what is owed after federal student loans are applied to the balance and what is needed to attend college.

•   Students can apply for them any time of the year, without the strict deadlines associated with federal loans.

•   Borrowers may have more choices in interest rates and terms.

•   The loans may not include origination fees or prepayment fees, although that isn’t universally true.

Potential cons can include these:

•   It isn’t unusual for a private lender to require a cosigner because college students often don’t have enough income to qualify or have established a good enough credit profile to get the loan on their own.

•   Students who are considered a higher credit risk may pay more in interest.

•   Private student loans don’t come with many of the benefits associated with federal loans, such as forgiveness programs and income-based repayment plans.

•   Students may borrow more than they can ultimately afford, and these loans are typically not dischargeable in bankruptcy proceedings.

Check out this Guide to Private Student Loans for more information on funding your education through a financial lender.

Parent PLUS Loans and More

Parent PLUS Loans

When asking “Where is the best place to get a student loan?” also consider the Parent PLUS Loan, in which parents can apply for federal funding to help their children attend college.

Eligibility for a Parent PLUS Loan isn’t based on financial need, but credit is checked. If applicants have a credit history that’s considered “adverse,” they “must meet additional requirements to qualify.”

So, what does “adverse” mean? According to the Federal Student Aid office, this can include:

•   Having accounts that, in total, have an outstanding balance of more than $2,085 and are at least 90 days delinquent.

•   A default or a bankruptcy discharge during the previous five years.

•   Involvement in a foreclosure, repossession, or tax lien situation in the previous five years.

•   Write-off of federal student loan debt or wage garnishment during the past five years.

Qualifying parents of a dependent undergraduate student can receive funding through this loan program to cover education-related costs that are not covered by other financial aid.

Personal Loans

It’s also possible to apply for personal loans from financial institutions to cover living expenses during college or to address an emergency. There are downsides to this, though, including:

•   Interest rates will likely be higher than student loans, along with shorter payoff periods (which means principal and interest payments can be higher).

•   There isn’t typically a grace period, which means repayment starts right away.

•   These loans don’t come with deferments or forbearance, as can be available through federal student loans.

Emergency Loans

In an emergency, a student might want to reach out to the college financial aid center to see if the school offers emergency loans for those in need. These loans would not typically be large, perhaps $1,000 to $1,500, but might be enough to address a dire situation.

Each college has its own guidelines, so check them out carefully. Some charge interest; others may not. Some may charge a service fee; others may not. As with personal loans, repayment may start immediately, so factor that into budget planning.

Private Student Loans at SoFi

To help students who decide that private student loans should play a role in their funding mix for college, SoFi offers private student loans.

Students should take advantage of federal student aid opportunities first. Then, when private loans make sense, SoFi offers them with no fees and flexible repayment options to fit a range of budgets.

See if you prequalify with SoFi in just three minutes.

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SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs. SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.


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A high-yield bond, often called a junk bond, is debt issued by a corporation that has failed to achieve the credit rating of more stable companies. Though they tend to be high-yield, they’re also very risky in most cases.

All investments fall somewhere along the spectrum of risk and reward. In order to increase the chance at a higher reward, an investor must generally increase risk. High-yield bonds are no exception and have a higher likelihood of default than investment-grade bonds. That’s why they are also often called “junk bonds.”

Overview of Bond Market

Bonds are popular with investors for being mostly lower risk than stocks. The bond market works in such a way that it’s made up of a wide asset class that are essentially investments in the debt of a government — federal or local — or a corporation.

They are packaged as a contract between the issuer (the borrower) and the lender (the investor). With bonds, you are acting as both the lender and the investor. That’s why bonds are also referred to as debt instruments, and a key component in how bonds work.

The rate of return that an investor makes on a bond is the rate of interest the issuer pays on their debt plus the increase in value when the bond is sold from when it was purchased. You may hear the interest rate on a bond referred to as the coupon rate. Most bonds make interest payments — coupon payments — twice annually.

You’ll also hear bonds commonly referred to as fixed-income investments. That’s because the interest on a bond is predetermined and will not change, even as markets fluctuate. For example, if a 20-year bond is issued with a 3% interest rate, that interest rate is set and will not change throughout the life of that bond.

Although the interest rate on the bond does not change, the underlying price of the bond can change. Therefore, it is possible to experience negative returns with a bond investment. Bond prices may also retreat in an environment of rising interest rates — this is called interest rate risk.


💡 Quick Tip: When people talk about investment risk, they mean the risk of losing money. Some investments are higher risk, some are lower. Be sure to bear this in mind when investing online.

What Is a High-yield Bond?

As you might expect, high-yield bonds are bonds that pay a high relative rate of interest. Why might a bond pay a higher rate of interest? Most commonly, because there is a higher degree of risk associated with the bond. Hence, the “junk bond” moniker.

The trade-off is that “safer” bond investments typically tend to have a lower yield. Therefore, bonds with lower credit ratings generally must offer higher coupon rates.

In addition to classifications by type (corporate, Treasury, and municipal bonds), bonds are graded on their riskiness, which is also known as their creditworthiness.

A default can occur when the issuer is unable to make timely payments or stops making payments for whatever reason. In some cases of default, the principal — the amount initially invested — cannot be repaid to the lender (i.e., the investor).

Credit Rating Agencies and Junk Bonds

There are two main credit-rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings, and Moody’s.

Each has its own grading system. The S&P rating system, for example, begins at AAA, which is the best rating, and then AA, A, BBB, and so on, down to D. Bonds that are ranked as a D are currently in default and C grades are at a high risk of default.

Using S&P’s system, high-yield bonds are generally classified as below a BBB rating. These bonds are considered to be highly speculative. Bonds at a BBB rating and above are less speculative and sometimes referred to as “investment grade.” With Moody’s rating, high-yield bonds are classified at a Baa rating and below.

This means that bonds with better credit ratings are generally the ones that are least likely to default. Treasurys and corporate bonds issued by large, stable companies are considered very safe and highly unlikely to default. These bonds come with a AAA rating.

Fallen Angels in Bond Market

Fallen angels are companies that have been downgraded from a higher investment-grade credit rating to junk-bond status. Diminished finances, as well as a tough economic environment, could send a company from the coveted investment-graded status to junk.

Rising Stars in Bond Market

A rising star is a junk bond that has potential to become investment grade due to an improved financial position by the company. A rising star could also be a company that’s relatively new to the corporate debt market and therefore has no history of debt. However, analysts at credit-rating firms may judge that the company has high creditworthiness due to its finances or competitive edge.

Junk Bonds Pros & Cons

It’s up to each investor to decide if high-yield bonds have a place in their portfolio. Here are the pros and cons of high-yield bonds so you can make a decision about whether to integrate them into your overall investment strategy.

5 Pros of High-yield Bonds

Here’s a rundown of some of the pros of high-yield bonds.

1. Higher Yield

High-yield bond rates tend to be higher than the rates for investment-grade bonds. The interest rate spread may vary over time, but high-yield bonds having higher rates will generally be true or else no investor would choose a higher-risk bond over a lower-risk bond with the same rate.

2. Consistent Yield

Even most high-yield or junk bonds agree to a yield that is fixed and therefore, predictable. Yes, the risk of default is higher than with an investment-grade bond, but a high-yield bond is not necessarily destined to default. A high-yield bond may provide a more consistent yield than a stock–which is a key thing to know when researching bonds vs. stocks.

3. Bondholders Get Priority When Company Fails

If a company collapses, both stockholders and bondholders are at risk of losing their investments. In the event that assets are liquidated, bondholders are first in line to be paid out and stockholders come next. In this way, a high-yield bond could be considered safer than a stock for the same company.

4. Bond Price May Appreciate Due To Credit Rating

When a bond has a less than perfect rating, it has the opportunity to improve. This is not the case for AAA bonds. If a company gets an improved rating from one of the agencies, it’s possible that the price of the bond may appreciate.

5. Less Interest-Rate Sensitivity

Some analysts believe that high-yield bonds may actually be less sensitive to changes in interest rates because they often have shorter durations. Many high-yield bonds have 10-year, or shorter, terms, which make them less prone to interest rate risk than bonds with maturities of 20 or 30 years.

4 Cons of High-Yield Bonds

Here are some of the cons of high-yield bonds.

1. Higher Default Rates

High-yield bonds offer a higher rate of return because they have a higher risk of default than investment-grade bonds. During a default, it is possible for an investor to lose all money, including the principal amount invested. Unstable companies are particularly vulnerable to collapse, especially during a recession. The rating agencies seek to identify these companies.

2. Hard to Sell

If an investor invests directly in high-yield bonds, they may be more difficult to resell. In general, bond trading is not as fluid as stock trading, and high-yield bonds may attract less demand or have smaller markets, and therefore, may be harder to sell at the desired price, or at all.

3. Bond Price May Depreciate Due to Credit Rating

Just as a bond price could increase with an improved rating, a bond price could fall with a decreased rating. Investors may want to investigate which companies are at risk of a lowered credit rating by one of the major agencies.

4. Sensitive to Interest Rate Changes

All bonds are subject to interest rate risk. Bond prices move in an inverse direction to interest rates; they can decrease in value during periods of increasing interest rates.


💡 Quick Tip: It’s smart to invest in a range of assets so that you’re not overly reliant on any one company or market to do well. For example, by investing in different sectors you can add diversification to your portfolio, which may help mitigate some risk factors over time.

How to Invest in High-yield Bonds

There are two primary ways to invest in junk bonds: by owning the bonds directly and by owning a pool of bonds through the use of mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

By owning high-yield bonds directly, you have more control over how your portfolio is invested, but it can be difficult for retail investors to do this. Brokerage firms typically allow sophisticated investors to directly own junk bonds, but even then it could be labor-intensive and a hassle.

Investing in high-yield bond mutual funds or ETFs, on the other hand, may allow you to diversify your holdings quickly and easily.

Junk-bond funds may also allow you to make swift changes to your overall portfolio when needed; they might be more economical for smaller investors; and they allow you to invest in multiple bond funds if desired. It’s important to check both the transaction costs and the internal management fee, called an expense ratio, on your funds.

Do Junk Bonds Fit Into Your Investment Strategy?

The only way to truly determine whether junk bonds are a good or suitable fit for your portfolio and investment strategy is to sit down and take stock of your full financial picture. It may also be worthwhile to consult with a financial professional for guidance.

But generally speaking, junk bonds are likely going to be a suitable addition to your portfolio if you’ve already covered all, or most, of your other bases. That is, that you’ve built a diversified portfolio, and are taking your risk tolerance and time horizon into account. In that case, having some room to “play” with junk bonds may be suitable — but again, a financial professional would know best.

If you’re a beginner investor, or someone who’s trying to build a portfolio from scratch, junk bonds are probably not a good fit. If you’ve been investing for years and have a large, diversified portfolio? Then adding some junk bonds or other high-risk investments to the mix probably wouldn’t be nearly as big of an issue.

Other Higher-Risk Investments

Junk bonds are high-risk investments, but they’re far from the only ones. Here are some other types of relatively high-risk investments to be aware of.

Penny Stocks

Penny stocks are stocks with very low share prices — typically less than $5 per share, and often, under $1 per share. While these stocks have the potential for huge gains, they’re also very risky and speculative. As such, they may be considered the “junk bonds” of the stock market.

IPO stocks

Another type of high-risk stock is IPO stocks, or shares of companies that have recently gone public. While an IPO stock may see its value soar immediately after hitting the market, there’s also a good chance that its value could fall significantly, which makes IPO stocks a risky investment.

REITs

REITs, or real estate investment trusts, allow investors to invest in real estate assets without actually buying property. But the real estate market has significant risks, which filter down to REITs and REIT shareholders. That, like the aforementioned investments, makes them risky and speculative.

The Takeaway

High-yield bonds, or junk bonds, are debt instruments issued by a corporation that has failed to achieve the credit rating of more stable companies. Though they tend to be high-yield, they’re also very risky in most cases. That doesn’t mean that they don’t necessarily have a place in an investor’s portfolio, however.

While companies that issue high-yield bonds tend to be lower on a scale of creditworthiness than their investment-grade counterparts, junk bonds still tend to have more reliable returns than stocks or nascent markets like cryptocurrencies.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

What is considered a junk bond?

A junk bond describes a type of corporate bond that has a credit rating below most other bonds from stable companies. The low credit rating tends to mean they’re riskier, and accordingly, pay higher yields.

Are high yield bonds good investments?

Generally, no, high-yield bonds or junk bonds are not good investments, mostly because they’re risky and speculative. Again, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t necessarily a place for them in a portfolio, but investors would do well to research them thoroughly before buying.

Which bonds give the highest yield?

High-yield bonds, or junk bonds, tend to give investors the highest yield. These are risky bonds issued by corporations, and have low credit ratings. As such, they’re speculative investments.

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